Quebec publishing house stands by author amid AI allegations

MONTREAL – A Quebec publisher is standing by a novel by author Thélyson Orélien, saying it will remain on bookstore shelves despite allegations that it was written using artificial intelligence.

In a statement released Wednesday, Éditions du Boréal said it received the manuscript on Sept. 12, 2025 and could not verify allegations about the evolution of the book, ‘’C’était ça ou mourir,’’ which translates to “It was either that or dying,” before that date.

The decision to keep the book on sale comes despite lingering questions about the author’s writing process and earlier statements indicating Orélien and his publisher were gathering evidence to support his denial of using AI to write the novel.

The new statement came one day after the publisher released a statement from Orélien, admitting plagiarism in some of his earlier writings in Quebec and French media, while reiterating that he had not used AI for the book.

Orélien said in the statement that he began writing his novel in the fall of 2017, while living in Laval, north of Montreal, completing a first draft of more than 300 pages in 2019, around the time he learned of his mother’s death. He said he spent the following years revising scenes, characters and passages.

The publisher did not confirm this timeline in its new statement. It said it would have liked to provide definitive answers to the allegations, but that it had no evidence beyond Orélien’s word to establish how the novel was written before it was submitted.

Boréal said on Wednesday that the author’s decision not to disclose further details about his writing process was his to make, arguing that publishers should not be expected to monitor authors.

“The publisher’s role is not to demand proof from authors, but to stand by them, and that is what we are doing,” the publishing house said.

The new statement contrasts with what Orélien and his publisher said in September, when Boréal announced it was collaborating with him to compile a detailed record of his work related to his manuscript, before the publisher got involved.

While Orélien told French media outlet Libération the compilation would prove what he was saying about his work, the publisher did not confirm this.

“We would have liked to provide a definitive answer,” the publisher said at the time, adding that it was unable to either confirm or refute the allegations related to AI use.

In his latest statement released on Tuesday through Boréal, Orélien said he had nothing to prove to those making accusations against him.

The publisher’s Wednesday statement did not address the earlier efforts to compile records.

Éditions du Boréal did not immediately respond to questions from The Canadian Press about whether it had revised its efforts or approach.

Orélien also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The author previously said the novel draws on his experiences of migration and exile, as well as stories he heard from others.

He acknowledged occasionally using tools for research, including to look up foreign expressions, but insisted that no sentence in the novel had been generated by a machine.

“I wrote this novel myself,” he said, describing the allegations as an attack not only on his identity as a writer but also on his humanity.

In its Wednesday statement, Boréal unequivocally condemned the plagiarism in Orélien’s earlier writings, saying the findings violated some of its most deeply held values.

But it also defended the author against personal attacks, arguing that the controversy over artificial intelligence did not justify making him a scapegoat for broader fears about the technology’s growing role in creative work.

Orélien said Tuesday that he had faced threats, racist harassment and what he described as a media lynching over the allegations.

He said that after leaving Haiti following the devastating 2010 earthquake, he became fascinated by the work of numerous authors and sometimes sought to imitate their styles, and admitted making some mistakes.

“Admiration does not give you the right to take, to claim as your own texts that are not yours,” he wrote, apologizing for what he described as unacceptable mistakes.

The allegations have triggered some consequences. Orélien’s novel was removed from the running for France’s prestigious Prix Goncourt earlier this month amid the AI allegations and separate questions about plagiarism in his previous work.

Boréal also suspended promotional activities surrounding the novel in September, citing concerns for Orélien’s well-being.

In its latest statement, the publisher said the novel would continue to be sold in bookstores in the absence of definitive findings about the AI allegations, leaving readers to decide whether to purchase it.

According to the websites of major bookstore chains Renaud-Bray and Indigo, the novel remains available for purchase at most of their locations across Quebec.

”It is our job as booksellers to make books accessible to our customers,” said Renaud-Bray spokesperson Floriane Claveau.

Claveau said no major variation in the book sales had been observed over the past few weeks.

Boréal acknowledged Wednesday in its statement that the controversy raises questions extending well beyond one novel, particularly about the trust between authors, publishers and readers.

It said it was undertaking a broader reflection on the lessons to be learned from the case and how to continue protecting and promoting human creativity.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2026.